Jan 28 EO

Basically this blog post is to say how crushed I am by the order from Trump to halt entry into the US from critizens of certain countries, apparently including those who are already living in the US legally. Walking around downtown Turku today, it felt like there were neon signs pointing to every immigrant I saw. A big neon sign saying "people like you are no longer welcome in my home country." It's disgusting and shameful. You guys, what is happening over there?

Edited to add: I'm reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to the kids, and tonight, by chance, we got to the part where Voldemort has installed a sympathetic government at the Ministry and they are starting to round up Muggle-borns and separate them from the rest of the wizard population. I started crying right about here:

"People won't let this happen," said Ron.

"It is happening, Ron," said Lupin.

I had to stop and talk to the girls about why I was crying and explain what is happening in America right now. Miriam, in all her 11-year-old wisdom, said "those people must just not KNOW any Syrians."

Eventually I composed myself and continued reading. But I lost it again here:

Harry felt sickened and angry: at this moment excited eleven-year-olds would be poring over stacks of newly purchased spellbooks, unaware that they would never see Hogwarts, perhaps never see their families again, either.

"It's...it's..." he muttered, struggling to find words that did justice to the horror of his thoughts, but Lupin said quietly, "I know."